1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing fine fiber by cutting a metal material or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wire cutting method is known for use as a conventional metallic fiber manufacturing method. In this wire cutting method, a long metal wire having a diameter of about 3 mm which is drawn from one of two reels is wound around a pair of rolls with a plurality of guide groove provided thereon. It is then wound around the other reel so that a plurality of metal wires can be fed between the rolls in the same direction and at the same speed. A cutter is then pressed against the face formed by these large number of metal wires so as to produce fine metallic fiber.
However, the above-described conventional metallic fiber manufacturing method involves cutting of long metal wires which are drawn in one direction and therefore has disadvantages in that it is difficult to apply it to the manufacture of fiber from a material having a low strength. A scratch formed in the surface of the metal wire causes stress to be concentrated on that scratched portion, which leads to the cutting of the metal wire. The conventional metallic fiber manufacturing method also suffers from the problem that it is difficult to manufacture fiber of good quality having a uniform diameter due to variations in the depth of cut caused by vibrations that occur during the manufacture. Further, since the entire portions of the metal wires cannot be utilized as fiber materials in that conventional method, production efficiency is degraded, and the production cost is increased.